Redskins Week 1 Fantasy Rankings: DeSean Jackson or Antonio Brown?

Neil Dalal

09/09/2016

Scout Fantasy ranks all the players, but we're looking at their specific take on Washington's options for Week 1.

One of the reasons football is so entertaining to watch and follow is the growth of fantasy football among fans. Every week, Breaking Burgundy will break down how the Redskins rank according to Scout Fantasy. The Week 1 edition looks at the standard scoring rankings for Washington's Week 1 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Whether the elite deep threat is the most explosive player in the NFL or not is debatable, Jackson looked like a boss all summer. That combined with a winnable matchup moved the Redskins playmaker way, way, way up in Scout Fantasy's Week 1 rankings compared to the preseason version. Jackson, ranked 36th among receivers by Scout entering the season, is fourth in Week 1 behind Odell Beckham Jr, Julio Jones, and DeAndre Hopkins. Legitimate question marks in the Pittsburgh secondary plays a factor. Overall, Scout ranks Jackson 19th best player in Week 1.

In this presidential election year, just note Breaking Burgundy fully endorses all fantasy football things about DeSean Jackson.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown, arguably the top player in all of fantasy football each week, comes in as No. 9 among receivers and 28th overall entering the highly awaited matchup with All-Pro Josh Norman.

The playmaking tight end burst on the scene last year. Staying healthy,finally, helped. Assuming good health, let the good times role in 2016. Reed is second best tight end for Week 2 behind just New Orleans' Coby Fleener and 30th ranked player overall. The big 6-foot-2 receiving threat is an automatic mismatch against the majority of defenders because of his wideout-like ability.

Fresh off of his franchise record breaking season, Cousins has even better receiving threats around him. While not a must-start fantasy QB every week entering the season, he comes in 7th for the opener. Look for a shootout with counterpart Ben Roethlisberger, who is ranked as the ninth best passer. Cousins should be able to put up a lot of stats against a weak Pittsburgh secondary.

Arguably the forgotten piece in Washington's loaded receiving corp behind Jackson, Reed, and rookie Josh Doctson, the gritty Garcon will be the target converting plays over the middle. However, that doesn't make him a go-to option as a Flex or WR 3 as he ranks 108th overall and 43rd amongst receivers, sandwiched between Sterling Shepard and Vincent Jackson. Never a big-play option, Garcon will look to take advantage against a below-average group of defensive backs.

Scot McCloughan may be expecting big things out of the second-year runner but Jones's shoulder sprain could lead to a lighter workload in Week 1. Jones is the 116th ranked player overall and 40th among running backs, which makes sense because of Pittsburgh's fairly strong front-seven, the injury and the suddenly looking presence of Robert Kelley.

On the other side...

Speaking of running backs, DeAngelo Williams, filling in for a suspended Le'Veon Bell, is considered the sixth best fantasy option this weekend. Even tough he's getting up there in age, the 33-year-old Williams still has plenty of game and will look to take advantage of the Redskins run defense that struggled last season.